Critically discussing and evaluating the impact the female gender role has on solo travel experiences linking to social media and the effect of positive and negative story-telling.
Author: Megan Warner
2 Commentries
Abstract:
The female gender role can have an impact on the decision-making process of solo travelling. The idea of solo female travelling is to obtain empowerment and push the boundaries of the individuals which will result in personal self-growth and development.
Keywords: social media, positive and negative story-telling, gender, experiences, solo female travelling
This conference paper will look deeper into the previous challenges that women had to face because of their gender. Furthermore, it will discuss the current influences of social media and positive and negative story-telling can have on these experiences.
In the late 1800s, women were not encouraged to travel even if they were accompanied by another person. They were encouraged to stay at home and perform roles women should be involved in such as cooking and caring for their family. The reason behind this gender inequality was due to the fact that women were seen as less valued and perceived as being weaker therefore, unable to protect themselves in case they were involved in a dangerous situation. Although, this is only applied in certain countries, there are still countries that gender inequality is occurring in due to their culture, family beliefs and views.
Kinnaird and Hall (1994) discuss that due to the difference between the gender roles they would have only been encouraged to participate in their specific gendered activities (Frew and Shaw, 1999, 196). For example, this links in with general stereotypes that people have created like the fact that men should participate in sport and women should be involved in dance and home-economics. Therefore, because of these stereotypes, gendered tourism has been created where a destinations activity would be gender based and suited to one particular gender. However, society is forever changing and women are becoming more confident to travel to destinations without the advice and reliance of another person that previously would have been unheard of (Myers, 2017, 163).
In order to secure the most valuable results from the study the use of primary research was decided in the form of a semi-structured interview. Data was collected from this interview and further analysed, the form of the questions in the interview focused on aspects of safety, perceptions, social media and other travellers influence. This analysed data was then separated into research themes of influence of the internet and social media and the influence of positive and negative story-telling.
Social media can have a high level of impact on solo female travellers as it has the potential to change the decision-making process. It has the power to bring lots of solo travellers together and discuss about new un-thought of destinations to travel to. Therefore, the threat of being unsafe on one’s own in a destination is lessened as on platforms such as Facebook, groups have been created by female solo travellers in particular destinations for any other females to join.
The influence of positive and negative story-telling can be through the platforms of blogs or in person. Whether the story be positive or negative it depends on how the traveller informs the others when telling the story. This can affect how strong the influence is by the way they tell it. Stories from travellers about travelling alone as a female can affect their decision to travel to the same destination. Being alone as a woman at night in an unfamiliar destination can cause some difficulties with the opposite gender (Lepp and Gibson, 2003, 608). Therefore, a lot of research should be completed prior to travelling to the destination including, cultural traditions, dress and safety. This would ensure that women they are not willingly putting themselves in situations which could cause them harm. Despite this, unexpected events such as any form of harassment could occur no matter the level of research completed prior to the travel.
Furthermore, despite the influences of social media and story-telling, the interview clearly highlighted that female travellers should not be discouraged by either of these factors. Everyone is different and can deal with these negative situations differently. It was made clear that not everyone’s experience is the same and the journey is about transforming the individual and obtaining self-confidence. There are some clear gaps in research that were realised, in the future academics could focus on the risk perception factors that solo female travellers have to face and overcome.
References
Frew, E.A. and Shaw, R.N. (1999) The relationship between personality, gender, and tourism behaviour. Tourism Management, 20 (July) 193-202. Available from https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S0261517798000818?token=FA4828E804BD981431C7D2DE64DCBEB985B3506E87A50DB364AC7417E3A8113B94DA7170F78759BD709E49707D21773F [accessed 15 March 2020].
Lepp, A. and Gibson, H. (2003) Tourist roles, perceived risk and international tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 3 (3) 606-624. Available from https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S0160738303000240?token=558A2ED99A5CA84CCA23F8559B853C3F821BBE5C29A55C4C7D43680C869B71530D390B37963FF0074BFADB15E3710601 [accessed 4 April 2020].
Myres, L.M. (2017) Independent women travellers’ experiences and identity development through multi-sensual experiences in New Zealand. In: C. Khoo-Lattimore and E. Wilson (eds.) Women and Travel: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives. Oakville, Canada: Apple Academic Press, Inc.
The female gender role can have an impact on the decision-making process of solo travelling. The idea of solo female travelling is to obtain empowerment and push the boundaries of the individuals which will result in personal self-growth and development.
Keywords: social media, positive and negative story-telling, gender, experiences, solo female travelling
This conference paper will look deeper into the previous challenges that women had to face because of their gender. Furthermore, it will discuss the current influences of social media and positive and negative story-telling can have on these experiences.
In the late 1800s, women were not encouraged to travel even if they were accompanied by another person. They were encouraged to stay at home and perform roles women should be involved in such as cooking and caring for their family. The reason behind this gender inequality was due to the fact that women were seen as less valued and perceived as being weaker therefore, unable to protect themselves in case they were involved in a dangerous situation. Although, this is only applied in certain countries, there are still countries that gender inequality is occurring in due to their culture, family beliefs and views.
Kinnaird and Hall (1994) discuss that due to the difference between the gender roles they would have only been encouraged to participate in their specific gendered activities (Frew and Shaw, 1999, 196). For example, this links in with general stereotypes that people have created like the fact that men should participate in sport and women should be involved in dance and home-economics. Therefore, because of these stereotypes, gendered tourism has been created where a destinations activity would be gender based and suited to one particular gender. However, society is forever changing and women are becoming more confident to travel to destinations without the advice and reliance of another person that previously would have been unheard of (Myers, 2017, 163).
In order to secure the most valuable results from the study the use of primary research was decided in the form of a semi-structured interview. Data was collected from this interview and further analysed, the form of the questions in the interview focused on aspects of safety, perceptions, social media and other travellers influence. This analysed data was then separated into research themes of influence of the internet and social media and the influence of positive and negative story-telling.
Social media can have a high level of impact on solo female travellers as it has the potential to change the decision-making process. It has the power to bring lots of solo travellers together and discuss about new un-thought of destinations to travel to. Therefore, the threat of being unsafe on one’s own in a destination is lessened as on platforms such as Facebook, groups have been created by female solo travellers in particular destinations for any other females to join.
The influence of positive and negative story-telling can be through the platforms of blogs or in person. Whether the story be positive or negative it depends on how the traveller informs the others when telling the story. This can affect how strong the influence is by the way they tell it. Stories from travellers about travelling alone as a female can affect their decision to travel to the same destination. Being alone as a woman at night in an unfamiliar destination can cause some difficulties with the opposite gender (Lepp and Gibson, 2003, 608). Therefore, a lot of research should be completed prior to travelling to the destination including, cultural traditions, dress and safety. This would ensure that women they are not willingly putting themselves in situations which could cause them harm. Despite this, unexpected events such as any form of harassment could occur no matter the level of research completed prior to the travel.
Furthermore, despite the influences of social media and story-telling, the interview clearly highlighted that female travellers should not be discouraged by either of these factors. Everyone is different and can deal with these negative situations differently. It was made clear that not everyone’s experience is the same and the journey is about transforming the individual and obtaining self-confidence. There are some clear gaps in research that were realised, in the future academics could focus on the risk perception factors that solo female travellers have to face and overcome.
References
Frew, E.A. and Shaw, R.N. (1999) The relationship between personality, gender, and tourism behaviour. Tourism Management, 20 (July) 193-202. Available from https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S0261517798000818?token=FA4828E804BD981431C7D2DE64DCBEB985B3506E87A50DB364AC7417E3A8113B94DA7170F78759BD709E49707D21773F [accessed 15 March 2020].
Lepp, A. and Gibson, H. (2003) Tourist roles, perceived risk and international tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 3 (3) 606-624. Available from https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S0160738303000240?token=558A2ED99A5CA84CCA23F8559B853C3F821BBE5C29A55C4C7D43680C869B71530D390B37963FF0074BFADB15E3710601 [accessed 4 April 2020].
Myres, L.M. (2017) Independent women travellers’ experiences and identity development through multi-sensual experiences in New Zealand. In: C. Khoo-Lattimore and E. Wilson (eds.) Women and Travel: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives. Oakville, Canada: Apple Academic Press, Inc.